More money needed to attract new Oak Ridge schools chief?

Wednesday

Jan 9, 2013 at 7:44 PMJan 9, 2013 at 7:46 PM

After several months of searching and interviewing potential candidates for the top slot in the Oak Ridge school system, the Oak Ridge Board of Education has started over in its search for a school superintendent — adding a new incentive for candidates.

by Beverly Majors/Staff

After several months of searching and interviewing potential candidates for the top slot in the Oak Ridge school system, the Oak Ridge Board of Education has started over in its search for a school superintendent — adding a new incentive for candidates.

Seven new recommendations for potential candidates includes a change in salary for the new chief that reportedly will better reflect the current market, and hopefully attract new candidates.

Don Long and Ryan Ray of Ray & Associates, the Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based professional search firm that the board retained to conduct a nationwide search, met with the School Board in a special-called meeting Monday night to share the firm’s latest recommendations.

Long asked the School Board to reset the salary for the superintendent at $175,000. In the recent search, the salary range was $150,000 to $160,000.

Long said at least three of the five potential finalists in the last search said the salary and benefits being offered were below their expectations.

The School Board in December looked at five possible candidates, chose three to interview, but none were chosen to fill the position.

Two finalists withdrew their applications and a third didn't get a second interview.

Long described the salary increase as similar to buying a car, stating that an increase to $175,000 might look like “sticker shock” because the School Board hadn’t had to look at the market rate for many years. School Superintendent Tom Bailey retired at the end of December, after having served the school system for more than 10 years.

Long said 10 school systems with a student enrollment of 5,500 pay an average of $180,700 for a superintendent. Oak Ridge schools have an enrollment of about 4,700 with a support staff of about 700.

“It would place Oak Ridge from (Number) 13 to 6 in salary,” Long said of the state's ranking. “It opens the door to a new level.”

Board member Bob Eby said, “I think we're going to have to pay” to get a quality superintendent.

“Our schools are one of our city's biggest employers,” said board member Jenny Richter. “We're providing services for nearly everyone in Oak Ridge.”

Long called schools an economic base for the city’s future and said superintendents “take on a tremendous task.”

The company’s additional recommendations include:

• Repeating limited advertising with the new salary;

• Include Oak Ridge advertising and recruiting at the AASA (American Association of School Administrators) National Convention;